With Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav deliberately skipping shaking hands with Pakistani players after the Asia Cup 2025 match, he opened up about the team’s decision to not shake hands with opponents.
Be it during the toss or after the match, SKY did not shake hands with Pakistan cricket team skipper Salman Ali Agha and walked straight back to the dressing room.
Citing the reasons for the decisions, he said that to it, adding some things are ahead of ‘sportsman spirit’.
We took a call as we came here to only play. We gave a proper reply. We are aligned with BCCI and the government. I feel a few things in life are ahead of sportsman spirit. I have told it at the presentation as well. We stand with all the victims of the Pahalagam terror attack.”
“We stand with their families also and express our solidarity. As I said, we dedicate this win to our brave armed forces who took part in Operation Sindoor. As they continue to inspire us all, we will try our best to, whenever given the opportunity, inspire them as well if possible,” he said.
Match boycott calls:
Despite calls for a boycott amid heightened geopolitical tensions between the two nations following the Pahalgam terror attack in April and the ensuing ‘Operation Sindoor’ by India in May, the match was still played.
Why Salman Ali Agha did not attend the presentation ceremony?
Citing the reason for Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha not attend the presentation ceremony, Pakistan coach Mike Hesson revealed that he was upset with the handshake snub from Team India.
“We wanted to shake hands but disappointed that the opposition didn’t do that. Disappointed with the way we played, but we wanted to shake hands,” Hesson said. “Salman not coming for the post-match presentation was cause and effect after what happened,” he added.
India vs Pak, Asia Cup 2025:
Batting first, Pakistan scored 127/9 runs in 20 overs. Kuldeep Yadav led India’s bowling with three wickets. Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah took two wickets each, while Varun Chakaravarthy and Hardik Pandya claimed one apiece.
Indian chased down the target in just 15.5 overs, finishing at 131/3. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav scored 47, Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma contributed with 31 each. Pakistan’s Saim Ayub picked up three wickets.
Benoy’s Director and Hong Kong Studio Lead, Teri Tsang, was recently featured in a radio interview with RTHK (Radio Television Hong Kong), highlighting inspiring female architects from Hong Kong. With over 20 years of experience in international commercial and mixed-use design across Asia, Europe, and America, Teri shared valuable insights into her journey and the captivating stories behind her work.
During the interview, Teri reflected on her involvement in several memorable projects, illustrating how her “global localisation” design philosophy successfully merges international perspectives with local cultures. She emphasised that understanding the unique socio-economic backgrounds of different regions is crucial for creating designs that resonate with the community.
Teri also spoke about the additional pressures women can face in the architecture, from balancing frequent business travel with personal responsibilities to navigating cross-cultural workplaces where women remain underrepresented. She shared personal stories on how staying passionate and resilient, underscoring her commitment to supporting other women in the industry.
Listen to Teri’s full interview on RTHK’s Women in Architecture Power — Episode 11 「環保女建」(Cantonese)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned former Trinamool Congress MP and actor Mimi Chakraborty along with Bollywood actor Urvashi Rautela in connection with its ongoing investigation into alleged money laundering through illegal betting platforms, including the controversial app 1xBet.
According to a PTI report Chakraborty has been directed to appear before the central agency at its Delhi headquarters on September 15, while Rautela has been asked to depose on the next day. Their statements will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The summons follow a series of high-profile interrogations, including former Indian cricketers Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina, who were questioned earlier this month. In August, actor Rana Daggubati also appeared before the ED in Hyderabad as part of the same probe. The agency had earlier questioned actors Prakash Raj, Vijay Deverakonda, and Lakshmi Manchu.
Officials suspect that several celebrities, including Chakraborty and Rautela, may have indirect links to the app through promotional endorsements. “Their depositions are expected to clarify how they were approached, how payments were structured, and whether taxes were duly paid,” a source familiar with the investigation said.
The ED is investigating multiple illegal betting apps accused of duping investors of crores of rupees and evading taxes. The probe has so far pointed to violations under the Information Technology Act, the Foreign Exchange Management Act, and the PMLA.
The agency questioned Dhawan on September 4 at its Delhi headquarters, probing his alleged association with 1xBet through endorsements. Raina too was questioned last month on financial transactions linked to the platform.
With the fresh round of summons, the ED appears to be tightening its scrutiny on the nexus between online betting operators and high-profile public figures who may have lent credibility to the apps through endorsements.
Stephen Graham is having a hell of a Sunday for someone who “is just a mixed-race kid from a block of flats in a place called Kirkby,” in his own words.
Graham won best actor in a limited series and best writing at the 2025 Emmy Awards for his brilliant work in Adolescence, which also won for best limited series.
Graham, who co-created the series, starred as the dad in the show, who by the end of the series is emotionally wrecked. Graham co-created the miniseries. As if hitting your marks and lines in all those long one-shots was not enough to juggle.
“This sort of thing doesn’t normally happen to a kid like me,” Graham said in his acceptance speech for best actor. “I’m just a mixed-race kid from a block of flats in a place called Kirkby. So, for me to be here today in front of my peers and to be acknowledged by you is the utmost humbling thing I could ever imagine in my life, and it shows you that any dream is possible.”
His kid won too. Supporting actor in a limited series went to Owen Cooper, the adolescent in Adolescence — his first-ever acting role. Cooper is the youngest-ever actor to win the category.
Graham had stiff competition in the acting category. Cooper Koch played Erik Menendez in Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story. (Nicholas Alexander Chavez played his big brother Lyle.) Jake Gyllenhaal was the generally presumed guilty in legal thriller Presumed Innocent (Apple TV+). Colin Farrell was unrecognizable in HBO’s The Penguin, which serves as a bridge between DC’s The Batman films, and Brian Tyree Henry plays a former drug dealer playing a DEA agent in Apple TV+ miniseries Dope Thief.
Last year, Richard Gadd won best actor in a limited series (and for writing) on viral Netflix hit Baby Reindeer, which ultimately won the best limited series trophy as well. Baby Reindeer had a very Adolescence-like viewership trajectory, just a year earlier.
The 2025 Creative Arts Emmys took place last weekend; you can find the winners from Saturday here and from Sunday here.
Olympic champions Faith Kipyegon (1,500 metres) and Hamish Kerr (high jump) headline day four of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Tuesday when four finals, two track and two field, will be held.
AFP Sport takes a look at three of the most eye-catching events:
Men’s 800m heats
This has the potential to be the race of the championships. Even the 13-year-old world record of 1min 40.91sec set by Kenyan David Rudisha in one of the most iconic moments in the sport in the 2012 Olympic final in London could be under threat.
The favourite in Tokyo is Rudisha’s compatriot Emmanuel Wanyonyi, the Olympic champion.
Just 21, he has been the form runner this season although he came close to losing in the Diamond League finals late last month.
The former cattle herder, who is keen to set things right after taking silver in the worlds two years ago, has impressed Rudisha at the very least.
“Rudisha is my friend,” said Wanyonyi last month.
“I remember the last time I saw him he told me, ‘Now is your time to shine’.”
Having the stamp of approval of a legend is one thing but out on the track dangers lurk all around him.
Both the minor medallists from the Paris Games will have him firmly in their sights.
Canada’s Sudan-born defending champion Marco Arop took silver in the Olympic final and although he has only beaten the Kenyan once this season the 26-year-old says he is not intimidated by that.
“It’s great competing against him because I do feel he makes me a better athlete overall,” he told CBC.
Both Wanyonyi and Arop have had a loaded campaign, something which Paris bronze medallist Djamel Sedjati hopes will play in his favour.
The 26-year-old Algerian has raced just five times this season and, having won silver in the 2022 worlds, is seeking to go one better and emulate compatriot Djabir Said Guerni’s victory in the 2003 worlds.
Outside of them two Americans catch the eye, the 2019 champion Donavan Brazier, who has had several frustrating years riddled with injury but won at the trials.
At 28, Brazier is 12 years older than teammate Cooper Lutkenhaus.
When he takes to the track on Tuesday Lutkenhaus will be 16 years 8 months and 28 days old, the youngest American athlete ever to compete at the worlds, and is phlegmatic about what lies ahead.
“I don’t think I have any pressure or outside noise on me, I’m walking out of the stadium with my head held high.”
Men’s high jump final
High jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh has raised morale back in Ukraine through her achievements since Russia invaded the country in February, 2022, and Oleh Doroshchuk can deliver another boost.
The 24-year-old, who despite the ongoing war has remained training in Ukraine, goes into Tuesday’s final with a pep in his step after topping qualifying.
He says he is feeling “better day by day” after suffering injuries to both his legs during the season.
He is in a rich vein of form, winning at the Diamond League meet in Brussels and finishing second to New Zealander Kerr in the Diamond League finals.
“That (qualifying) was the first major championships when I was not nervous, so I enjoyed the competition and the atmosphere around me,” said Doroshchukh.
Women’s 1,500m final
This should be an all Kenyan affair and a clash of generations between the legendary 31-year-old Kipyegon and Nelly Chepchirchir, 22.
Barely anyone has got a look in the 1500m in global championships over the past decade with Kipyegon around.
Three Olympic titles, four world crowns (including one in the 5,000m) and the world record holder to boot, it will take quite something to stop her.
Chepchirchir, who finished fifth in the 2023 world final, has enjoyed a successful season which buoyed her hopes of upsetting her compatriot in Tuesday’s final.
“I have some experience from Budapest. This is the big difference,” she said.
“Also I became much more confident after I won the Diamond League final (in Zurich last month).”
Asian investors are jockeying ahead of an expected Federal Reserve interest rate cut (Mohd RASFAN)
Asian markets were mixed Monday as traders geared up for an expected interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve this week.
Equities have enjoyed a strong run-up over recent weeks as a string of data on jobs and inflation provided the US central bank with enough leeway to resume its rate reductions.
Wednesday’s policy decision follows figures showing the labour market continuing to soften, while prices have not spiked as much as feared in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s tariff war.
The keenly awaited meeting is expected to see the Fed lower borrowing costs 25 basis points, though some observers predict it could go to 50 points.
Trump said Sunday that “I think you have a big cut. It’s perfect for cutting”.
Still, Pepperstone’s Chris Weston wrote: “The market would be surprised if we saw any outcome other than a 25-basis-point cut from the Fed, even if several Fed governors do vote for a 50-basis-point cut.
“Attention will quickly turn to the tone of the (policy board) statement, the guidance from Powell’s press conference.”
The central banks of Canada, Britain and Japan are due to meet this week.
After a tepid Friday on Wall Street that saw the Nasdaq inch up to a new peak, Asia fluctuated.
Hong Kong, Singapore and Jakarta all rose in early trade, while Seoul hit another record after South Korean officials scrapped a plan to lower the capital gains tax threshold for stock investors.
Shanghai edged down after data showed further weakness in China’s economy with growth in retail sales and industrial production much slower than forecasts.
There were losses in Sydney, where ANZ bank, one of Australia’s “big four” lenders, retreated following news it had agreed to pay a record fine of Aus$240 million ($159.5 million) over “widespread misconduct”.
Taipei, Manila and Wellington also saw losses.
Tokyo was closed for a break.
Also in view are talks between China and the United States in Madrid that will cover a range of issues including trade, with an eye on a November deadline for their tariff pause.
Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and his team will also discuss their dispute over TikTok with the US delegation led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The negotiations come after China launched two investigations into the US semiconductor sector on Saturday.
– Key figures at around 0230 GMT –
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 0.2 percent at 26,447.34
Shanghai – Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,867.95
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: Closed for a holiday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1728 from $1.1731 on Friday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3561 from $1.3560
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 147.57 from 147.67 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.48 pence from 86.52 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.5 percent at $63.01 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $67.28 per barrel
New York – Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 45,834.22 points (close)
London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 9,283.29 (close)
Last week finished with the US Tech 100 (Nasdaq 100) hitting a fresh record high, while both the US 500 (S&P 500) and the Dow Jones took a breather ahead of this week’s eagerly anticipated Federal Reserve (Fed) meeting.
The rally in the Nasdaq on Friday night was supported by Tesla, which surged 7.4% to $395.94 after Tesla Chair Robyn Denholm publicly supported Elon Musk, stating that his political activities on X (formerly Twitter) have no impact on sales or operations and that he is irreplaceable for navigating artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and autonomy. This contributed to a weekly gain of about 12.85% as it drove away (pun intended) from the 200-day moving average at $330.
Bucking the trend, Oracle fell by 5.09% on Friday to $292.18, marking a second consecutive day of declines following Wednesday’s dramatic rally, which saw the billion-dollar company surge an eye-popping 36%.
US: FOMC interest rate decision
Date: Thursday, 18 September at 4.00am AEST
At the last Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in July, the Fed kept interest rates on hold at 4.25% – 4.50% with two dissents in favour of a rate cut (Bowman and Waller).
Fed Chair Jerome Powell sounded hawkish, noting that a wait-and-see approach was appropriate as the labour market remained solid, and that inflation may be more persistent than expected, with uncertainties around tariffs. This saw market pricing of a 25 basis points (bp) rate cut in September fall to about 44% from 64% prior.
In late August at Jackson Hole, Fed Chair Powell pivoted dovish, noting that the risk of a labour market slowdown was now considered a more significant risk than persistent inflation. Last week’s soft monthly labour market data has reinforced the view that downside labour market risks dwarf the risks of persistent inflation.
As such, the Fed is expected to cut rates by 25 bp this week to 4.0% – 4.25% – its first rate cut in nine months. Presuming Stephen Miran’s appointment to the Board is confirmed later today, he is expected to dissent and vote in favour of a 50 bp cut, with Waller and Bowman possibly joining him.
The median dot is expected to still show two 25 bp cuts this year, and the dots for 2026 are expected to show two 25 bp cuts versus one previously. Chair Powell will note the heightened downside risks to labour markets and a willingness to continue to cut rates further if these risks remain in place.
The United States (US) interest rate market is fully priced for a 25 bp rate cut this week. There is a total of 69 bp of Fed rate cuts priced between now and the end of this year, and a total of 146 bp of cuts priced between now and the end of 2026.
(Bloomberg) — Stocks hovered near record highs at the start of the week, with investors anticipating an interest-rate cut in the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy meeting.
The MSCI All Country World Index held steady after closing at an all-time high Friday. MSCI’s Asia equity index edged up 0.1%, also trading near a record high. There will be no cash trading in Treasuries during Asian hours as Japan is closed for a holiday. Chinese shares rose almost 1%, shrugging off weak factory and consumer data.
The Hong Kong dollar extended its gains to hit a four-month high as supply of the currency continued to tighten toward the end of the quarter. French bond futures opened mostly steady in Asian trading after Fitch Ratings downgraded France to A+ from AA-.
The key question for investors this week is whether Fed officials will push back against market bets on a series of interest-rate cuts extending into next year. In addition to the Fed’s decision on Wednesday, the Bank of Canada, the Bank of England and the Bank of Japan are also set to announce policy decisions this week.
“The week is going to be all about central bank decisions. Of course, the biggest one will be the Fed, which is all but certain to cut interest rates by 25 basis points,” wrote Kyle Rodda, a senior market analyst at Capital.com in Melbourne. “The question is how aggressive the Fed is with this easing, with the markets effectively pricing in a cut at each of the final three meetings of the year.”
In China, economic activity slowed more than expected for a second straight month with a sharp slump in investment.
“China’s August data are hardly inspiring—exports remain under tariff pressure while the property downturn continues to weigh on domestic demand,” said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets in Singapore. “Yet, markets are shrugging it off, with cash-rich households rotating into equities and AI momentum powering chip stocks higher.”
On the tariff front, the US-China talks focused on trade, the economy and the status of ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok, which faces a deadline this week to reach a deal to continue operations in the US. Officials were also expected to lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between President Donald Trump and Xi Jinping as soon as October.
The Trump administration is expected to again extend a Sept. 17 deadline for Bytedance to divest the US assets of TikTok or shut it down, Reuters reported, citing an unidentified person familiar with the matter.
Separately, Asian primary bond markets had a busy start this week with about a dozen issuers offering notes across currencies or mandating banks for potential deals. That’s adding to a global deal rush this month, as borrowers make the most of tight spreads that are signaling confidence in companies’ credit strength.
What Bloomberg’s Strategists Say…
“Global equities are likely to draw fresh momentum as traders price for the Federal Reserve to deliver its first rate cut since December 2024 and signal that there may be more to come. The US dollar will weaken should policymakers reinforce easing bets.”
— Mary Nicola, Markets Live strategist. Click here for the full analysis.
Still, the Fed’s policy meeting will remain the key focus as markets question whether officials push back against bets of easing at each remaining meeting this year. A quarter-point reduction is seen as a sure thing when the Fed announces its policy decision Wednesday, with a small potential for a half-point move amid signs US job growth is slowing rapidly.
The Fed is likely to deliver a dovish cut with at least one member in favor of a 50 basis point reduction, and new forecasts that imply a steeper easing path to guard against a weakening labor market, said Elias Haddad, a senior market strategist at Brown Brothers Harriman. “A dovish Fed policy stance can drag US dollar lower and support risk assets.”
Trump predicted a “big cut” from the Federal Reserve this week ahead of a pivotal meeting at which the central bank’s governors are expected to ease policy for the first time in nine months.
Elsewhere, Fitch Ratings downgraded France to A+ from AA- late Friday. The score is now a notch lower than the UK and on par with Belgium, indicating the upheaval of repeated government collapses has locked the country into an enduring battle to contain a swelling debt burden.
France’s 10-year benchmark bonds offer one of the highest yields in the euro area, akin to Lithuania, Slovakia and Italy. The premium paid over German peers has nearly doubled since President Emmanuel Macron called elections last year, a sign of weaker investor demand.
Corporate News:
ANZ Group Holdings Ltd. will pay a A$240 million ($160 million) fine after admitting misconduct across its institutional and retail divisions, the culmination of a months-long investigation by the corporate watchdog into one of the country’s biggest lenders. Singapore’s GIC Pte is in talks to sell its stake in US landlord Yes! Communities Inc. to Brookfield Asset Management in what could be one of the biggest exits for the sovereign wealth fund in years, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co.’s Hong Kong-listed shares surged on Monday, thanks to a prominent upgrade and expectations for stronger earnings outlook. Chinese chip stocks jumped after the country launched an anti-dumping investigation targeting certain US-made semiconductors, boosting expectations for the domestic industry. Shares of toymaker Pop Mart International Group Ltd. slumped the most since April on Monday after JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded the stock to neutral. Some of the main moves in markets:
Stocks
S&P 500 futures were little changed as of 11:48 a.m. Tokyo time Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.3% Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.4% The Shanghai Composite was little changed Euro Stoxx 50 futures rose 0.1% Currencies
The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index was little changed The euro was little changed at $1.1728 The Japanese yen was little changed at 147.54 per dollar The offshore yuan was little changed at 7.1211 per dollar Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin fell 0.4% to $115,432.84 Ether was little changed at $4,619.4 Bonds
Australia’s 10-year yield advanced six basis points to 4.28% Commodities
West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.5% to $63.02 a barrel Spot gold was little changed This story was produced with the assistance of Bloomberg Automation.
–With assistance from Winnie Hsu, Tian Chen and Harry Suhartono.
